With Big Ten media days fast approaching and fall camp slated to open shortly thereafter, the 2024 college football season is right around the corner. In year two of the Luke Fickell era, Wisconsin has further revamped its roster but faces a daunting schedule littered with marquee matchups.

Throughout July, BadgerBlitz.com will break down each game on Wisconsin's slate. We'll continue with Alabama, the first of many circle-the-date matchups for the Badgers this season.

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Wisconsin will welcome Alabama to Camp Randall Stadium during a period of transition for the college football program that's defined this century. Gone is the great head coach Nick Saban, who guided the Crimson Tide to six national titles. In is Kalen DeBoer, whose impressive resume features a 104-12 record in 10 seasons as a college football coach, most recently taking Washington to the doorstep of a national title.

This game has already been selected for Fox Big Noon Kickoff, and there's no shortage of reasons as to why. In his debut season as the successor to perhaps the greatest college football coach of all time, this will be DeBoer's first real test after what should be easy victories against Western Kentucky and South Florida. This will also be Wisconsin's first real test in Fickell's second campaign in Madison, one in which pressure and expectations are mounting. Madison will be jumping on a September Saturday morning, and a sold-out Camp Randall promises to be raucous.

When most programs bid farewell to a larger-than-life head coach that took its team to untold glory, its reasonable to expect a few down years as it embarks on a new era. Not in Tuscaloosa. The expectation, as always, is for the Tide to contend for a national title.

There may not be quite as many household names as we've grown accustomed to seeing on an Alabama roster, but this is still a team littered with stars, none brighter than quarterback Jalen Milroe. The dual-threat gunslinger has already etched his name into Crimson Tide immortality with his miraculous game-winning "Gravedigger" touchdown pass on 4th-and-31 with half a minute to play in the Iron Bowl. Now, he'll look to make amends for Alabama's loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl last year, and his development in DeBoer's new offense directly correlates to how far this iteration of the Tide will go.

Milroe is the nucleus of this offense, and this unit should more or less go as he goes. Despite struggling early last fall, Milroe steadily improved and compiled 2,834 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions along with 531 yards and 12 scores on the ground. Milroe is the kind of mobile quarterback that when he has the ball in his hands, anything can happen.

The superstar signal-caller looses his top three leading receivers, however, in Isaiah Bond, Jermaine Burton and tight end Amari Niblack. Currently at the top of the receiver room are Kobe Prentice, Kendrick Law and Germine Bernard, the latter of whom is an ex-Washington Husky who followed DeBoer to Tuscaloosa. With a new offense and new top receivers to throw to, there's a lot on Milroe's plate in his redshirt junior season.

The Tide also has plenty of production to replace with the departures of Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams, their two leading rushers last fall. In line for plenty of carries is Jam Miller, a junior who rushed for 201 yards and a score last year on 4.9 yards-per-carry. Another ball-carrier who should get lots of touches is Justice Haynes, who tacked on 168 yards and two touchdowns last season. That's not a particularly daunting running back room, but what is daunting is what Milroe adds to the ground game — and all of the different ways that stresses a defense.

Alabama's offensive line will also look noticeably different from last season. Both starting guards return in Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts, but the rest of the offensive trenches feature new faces. Parker Brailsford, the projected starting center, is another Washington transfer, and there's some inexperience — albeit plenty of potential — amongst Alabama's tackles.

New faces are becoming a theme here, which makes sense considering the kind of talent Alabama both attracts and produces. But the Tide's defense, especially, is throughly restocked as Alabama returns just 33 percent of its defensive production, good for 8th-lowest in the nation on that side of the ball per ESPN.

One of the biggest storylines surrounding Alabama's defense this offseason was its loss of superstar safety Caleb Downs. We'll let Alabama insider Tony Tsoukalas break that down further later in the article, but that's a significant loss that the Tide was only able to patch, not mend completely.

Regardless, this is a defense loaded with playmakers. Despite the exodus of production, Alabama returns its second and third-leading tackler in inside linebackers Jihaad Campbell and Deontae Lawson. Those two roam the front seven, making plays against both the run and pass. Lawson also has a knack for getting to the quarterback, tallying three sacks last season.

Several transfers figure to play key roles as well. Cornerback Domani Jackson, a starter for USC in 2023, should hold down one of the outside cornerback spots. Keon Sabb, a safety previously with Michigan, will try to fill the void left by Downs' departure.

Alabama's defense is perennially a top-20 unit in the nation, and at least on paper, they're well on their way to maintaining that reputation in DeBoer's first year at the helm.

Without question, Milroe is the show-stopper and the main attraction on this Alabama squad. But lets go a little deeper for the Tide's player to watch and spotlight true freshman cornerback Zabien Brown.

Brown was ranked as the No. 3 corner in his class. Hailing from Mater Dei High School in California, a well-known pipeline to Alabama, he's reportedly worked his way up the pecking order this spring and appears in line to start come fall. Downs was the last true freshman to start in the Tide's secondary, and that worked out pretty well for all parties involved last year.

At 6-foot-1, Brown has an ideal frame and thrives in man-to-man situations. The five-star cornerback's reputation proceeds him, and it'll be fascinating to watch his true freshman year unfold.

We spoke to Tony Tsoukalas, the site publisher of Tide Illustrated, to dive further into the Crimson Tide.

1. What are the expectations for Jalen Milroe in his second year as the starter?

It will be interesting to see how Milroe fits into Kalen DeBoer’s new offense. From talking to people inside the program, I think there is a huge emphasis on improving his ability to read defenses before the snap. If he can do that, I think we’ll see him establish more comfortability in the pocket and improve on his decision-making in the intermediate passing game. With his current skill set, Milroe is already one of college football’s most dangerous weapons. If he’s able to refine his passing a bit, he could be a legit Heisman contender.

2. What will define a successful season for Kalen DeBoer in year one?

DeBoer will tell you success can’t be measured in wins and losses, but he’s wrong. Alabama can’t afford to go 8-4 this year. It would kill all the momentum it has built up and handcuff and put DeBoer behind the eight-ball early in his tenure.

Alabama needs to make the playoff this year, and I think that will require a 10-2 record or better. I think that’s totally reasonable given the roster the Crimson Tide has. If you are rating teams, it’s hard to put Alabama past the 4-7 range nationally. The schedule will be difficult, but the Tide should still be favored in most of the games it plays this season.

3. How critical is the loss of superstar safety Caleb Downs to Ohio State?

Out of all of Alabama’s transfer departures, this is the only one that really stings. Losing a talent like Downs would hurt any program, but it’s especially tough on an Alabama secondary that also lost three other members from its preferred nickel unit. The Tide did well to bring in Michigan transfer Keon Sabb. Additionally, moving Malachi Moore to safety should help stabilize a new secondary early this fall. Still, Downs should be one of the best defenders in college football this season and will be almost impossible to replace.

4. Who or what is the biggest X-factor on the team?

If you are looking for a player whose performance will impact Alabama the most, it’s Milroe. If he reaches his potential, it would elevate the Tide into a Tier 1 contender. On the flip side, Alabama could suffer a couple of early losses if it’s unable to integrate him into DeBoer’s new setup.

If you are looking for an under-the-radar difference maker, junior receiver Kendrick Law is a name to circle. The 5-foot-11, 201-pound playmaker is one of the quickest players on the team but also has the bulk and strength to block out on the perimeter. Alabama can use him out wide or in the slot. Last year, he even spent some time working out of the backfield. I think he will develop into a star this fall.

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